CYF slammed by whānau of missing children

The whānau of two children missing from the care of Child Youth and Family (CYF) have accused the department of failing to adhere to its policy of placing children into the care of their own extended whānau.

Te Morehu McLean, 15, and his sister seven-year-old Anahera have been missing from their foster home in Tuakau since July 18.

Their grandfather is highly respected Māori leader Bert McLean; a veteran, former school principal, Anglican reverend and the kaumatua of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

In 2004 McLean was charged with returning the remains of New Zealand's unknown warrior from a battlefield in France.

McLean told TV3's The Hui he is angry CYF has removed his mokopuna and placed them in the care of strangers when there were several whānau members willing to care for them, himself included.

CYF has accused the McLean whānau of using the children as a bargaining chip and say "the bottom line in this case is that we have looked to place these children with whānau a number of times. None of these placements have proved suitable for a variety of reasons".